When our alums receive national attention for their hard work, we just can’t wait to tell the rest of our Spider Family.

The latest example is Tracey Zaval, GC’17, because out of approximately 3.1 million teachers in the United States, she has been named the No. 1 (!) middle school history teacher of the year by the National Council for the Social Studies. After earning a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the School of Professional & Continuing Studies, she went on to become a civics and economics teacher in Chesterfield County, Virginia, recognized for promoting problem-solving and encouraging civic action.

“To have the top teacher in the country is amazing and a true testament to the high quality work and engaging teaching style found in Ms. Zaval’s classroom,” school board member Javaid Siddiqi said in a news release.

Zaval also won the 2017 Virginia Council for the Social Studies (VCSS) Teacher of the Year, which made her eligible for national recognition. Congratulations on your latest achievement, Tracey!